welcome to Val’s portrait studio
Today has been nuts! (What else is new?) First I woke up to a four-year-old bringing ALL of his toys into my bed, then we got ready and went to breakfast. Unfortunately, I was outnumbered and we ended up at McDonald’s. After that, to my in-laws’ for a bit then back where I gathered together two dozen of my best candles and took them to a lady’s house so that she could smell and decide what to buy. First time I’ve ever done that but I kinda prefer it to them coming here (hate doing that) and I think she preferred it that way, too.
After all that, the real fun started. I came home and started turning my living room into a portrait studio. Kinda. :) I spent a lot of time digging Christmas stuff out of the basement. It reminded me that I don’t guess I decorated at all last year?? ‘Cause there was a lot of stuff I remember getting out in 2005 but not last year. Then I told Steve to go down with the flashlight and clean up the two dead mice I saw on the shelf… only… they both turned out to be the ends of power cords. Oops. :)
Steve set up three of my white candle booth table cloths to the entertainment center with clamps and I set up the little tree and strung it with a bit o’ lights (I LOVE that tree LOVE it) and the Veggie’s nativity that everyone loves so much then we went at it — snapping a thousand photos, both me and Morgan and we ended up with a few that are actually pretty good. All things considering, of course, since neither kid wants to smile and look at us at the same time as the other. I wanted more of the home made look, hence the un-ironed/layered atmosphere and simplicity of everything; kind of kid-like, Dr. Seuss-y, you know? Before digging stuff out of the basement I had wrapped a box, too, with top flaps up. Elijah wanted SpongeBob paper… he also picked out that neon lime bow yesterday. We didn’t do exactly what I’d envisioned but I think it came out well. We were even able to use all sunlight because of the windows right on either sides.
Morgan and I then designed and ordered the Christmas cards and after she and my niece left, I spent the next several hours setting up a collage. I ended up buying a program to do it with as while on trial it put out a watermark but I love the danged program, so. Only $30, I can handle that. :)
So here we have it, what do you all think?
I can change stuff, so feel free to let me know if there’s something I should change. No prints have been made yet. :)
Ha, just realized I didn’t even mention what this is for! It’s for a Christmas present - or rather part of - for my Mom and Dad. These be their two only grandchildren. Then also for my Grandpa, these be two of his three great-grandchildren. (I thought of getting something of all great-grandchildren for him but I really don’t see that happening, especially since the other great-grandchild is 12-years-old and in school, so I have no idea when we could get with her). I don’t have a problem posting it though, ’cause Mom never visits my Flickr though I showed her how to order prints and anyone else, they’ll either miss it altogether or keep their mouths shut. :)
Well, now that I’ve spent a Saturday on this… I really need to crack down and get going more on my NaNoWriMo. I need an outline so that maybe I can get more done… or something.
